Read. It is crucial to read to your child from as young as six months, and continue until your child can read to you.

Really listen to your children. Try to “hear” what they are saying without judging them.

Always encourage children to try their best in every situation. Point out how important it is to complete things.

Try to instill confidence in your children. Compliment and focus on what they do well. Be honest – children know when you’re not.

Let children know it’s OK to make mistakes, and that we all do. In fact, that is how we learn. Encourage them to take risks.

Expose children to as many different experiences as you can. Make their experiential background well-rounded and varied…music, arts, museums, sciences, sports…even if these things are not part of your experience.

Get to know their friends. The friends they have tell you a lot and they’ll certainly influence their school performance in a positive or negative way.

Maintain an open line of communication between you and your child’s teacher. Become as involved as you can.

Organization is essential for success, though it’s not natural for children. Teach your child how to be “organized for school”. Remember, many times creative children have trouble with organization.

Provide a quiet workplace for them to do their homework. Take interest in their assignments, but never do their homework for them.

Provide all the materials they’ll need to complete projects and reports.